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District says graduation rates are trending up; summer testing and credit recovery highlighted
Summary
District presenter Teresa Dennis told the April 27 agenda-review that five-year graduation rates are improving and that new testing options, summer windows in June and July, credit recovery and early-warning systems are being used to reduce the number of non-graduates and dropouts.
Teresa Dennis presented the Leon County Schoolsgraduation-pathway update on April 27, saying the districtis seeing a steady upward trend in graduation rates and that the Class of 2026 cohort is currently projected at about 88.7 percent if finalized today.
Dennis said the district has added CLT10 as a concordant test option and noted two summer state-testing windows (June and July) that provide additional opportunities for students to meet testing requirements. She emphasized continued credit-recovery options through the summer and that many students still on the "grad need" list are actively meeting requirements.
Why it matters: Graduation-rate trends affect student outcomes, school accountability and state reporting. Board members asked for more precise coding and breakdowns to understand true dropouts versus non-graduates who pursue alternative pathways.
Dennis reported subgroup detail: most subgroups improved year over year, but English-language learners did not. She said about 49 ELL students were in the cohort under discussion and that 11 of those students earned certificates of completion because they were missing a state ELA/EOC test despite completing coursework and meeting GPA requirements. Dennis described the certificate outcome as distinct from a standard diploma and said the district is providing families with information about options.
On data and counts, Dennis said the district distinguishes "true" dropouts (coded as W05) from students who withdraw to enroll in adult education or other alternative pathways; she said the district can produce a breakdown of dropout codes and non-graduate pathways. She also described an early-warning report available to school sites and ongoing review of juvenile-justice and transfer cases to maintain cohort accuracy.
A board member urged pairing the quantitative data with qualitative work (for example, a university partnership) to better understand "why" students leave or fail to complete a diploma; Dennis said staff can scope that work and consult high-school teams.
Dennis said she will provide the requested breakdowns and follow-up data to the board.
The board moved on to other business after the presentation; staff said they will supply the requested details to members.
